Alignment mechanism for cartridge-based devices

ABSTRACT

A lancing device and a cartridge of lancets are operable to sequentially advance each lancet to an active position for use in sampling a bodily fluid. An alignment mechanism precisely aligns the lancets in the active position to promote smooth operation and prevent jamming. The alignment mechanism includes at least one register element and at least one spring-biased element movable between engaged and retracted positions. In an example embodiment, one spring-biased arm extends from the lancing-device housing and includes a protrusion, and a series of recessed register surfaces are defined in a carrier for the lancets. In the engaged position, the spring-biased protrusion fully mates with the register recess under the spring-biasing influence to precisely align the active lancet. And in the retracted position, the spring-biased protrusion is deflected from engagement with the register recess as the carrier is advanced to advance a fresh lancet into the active position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/446,649 filed Feb. 25, 2011, the entirety ofwhich is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to cartridge-based devices, andmore particularly, to mechanisms for precisely aligning medical items tobe sequentially advanced for use in, or dispensing from, cartridges orother dispensers.

BACKGROUND

Cartridge-based devices can be utilized to dispense or apply certainmedical items, such as medicine, lancets, sutures, needles, surgicalstaples, etc., or other medical or other items. For example, areplaceable cartridge containing a plurality of items for sequential usemay be loaded into a tool or other device. Such devices can bemanufactured to interface with humans directly or with machinesutilizing the items therein. For example, many medical proceduresrequire puncturing of the skin, and sometimes underlying tissues, of ananimal or human subject. A sharp lancet tip is commonly used to puncturethe subject's skin at a lancing site to obtain a sample of blood,interstitial fluid, or other body fluid, as for example in blood-glucosemonitoring by diabetics and in blood-typing and blood-screeningapplications.

In some situations, a person must periodically sample their blood formultiple testing throughout the day or week. This is typically doneusing a lancing device of some sort. Because re-use of a lancet canresult in infection or spread of blood-borne contaminants, personsrequiring repeated testing often must carry multiple lancets with them,with each lancet separately loaded into the lancing device for eachsampling. This can be inconvenient and may lead to reduced compliancewith a prescribed test regimen.

Cartridge-type lancing devices have been developed to allow the user toload cartridges into the lancing device, each cartridge holding multiplelancets for sequential use. These cartridge-type lancing devicestypically operate by sequentially advancing each of the lancets in thecartridge for use, charging a drive spring, and, upon actuation of anactuator, releasing the lancet to be propelled by the discharging drivespring through a lancing stroke. The lancets are sequentially advancedinto an active position for use by an advancing mechanism. However, onoccasion the advancing mechanism can advance a new lancet slightly toofar or not quite far enough, which can sometimes result in the devicebecoming jammed and inoperable until the jam is cleared. This can be atolerances issue resulting from the advancing mechanism includingmechanical parts (e.g., gears) that are manufactured precisely but withcertain acceptable tolerances, or this can be the result of slippage orbinding in some designs. As such, existing cartridge-type lancingdevices have not proven entirely satisfactory in their ease-of-use,cost, and/or reliability.

Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for improvements inadvancement mechanisms for cartridge-based devices. It is to theprovision of an improved cartridge-based device and cartridge meetingthese and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to an improvement in cartridge-basedlancing devices that promotes smooth lancet operation and preventslancet jamming. A lancing device and a cartridge of lancets are operableto sequentially advance each lancet to an active position for use insampling a bodily fluid. An alignment mechanism precisely aligns thelancets in the active position to promote smooth operation and preventjamming. The alignment mechanism includes at least one register elementand at least one spring-biased element movable between engaged andretracted positions. In an example embodiment, one spring-biased armextends from the lancing-device housing and includes a protrusion, and aseries of recessed register surfaces are defined in a carrier for thelancets. In the engaged position, the spring-biased protrusion fullymates with the register recess under the spring-biasing influence toprecisely align the active lancet. And in the retracted position, thespring-biased protrusion is deflected from engagement with the registerrecess as the carrier is advanced to advance a fresh lancet into theactive position.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbe understood with reference to the drawing figures and detaileddescription herein, and will be realized by means of the variouselements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following brief description of the drawings anddetailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of theinvention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a cartridge-based lancing deviceaccording to an example embodiment of the present invention, showing anoperating handle in a retracted position.

FIG. 2 shows the lancing device of FIG. 1 with the operating handle inan extended position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the lancing device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the lancing device of FIG. 2, with the device'stop housing portion and interior base wall removed to reveal majorinternal components of an advancement mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the lancing device portion of FIG.4, with the interior base wall shown concealing the major internalcomponents of the advancement mechanism.

FIG. 6 shows the lancing device portion of FIG. 5, with a multi-lancetcartridge installed, the cartridge's top housing portion removed, andthe lancets not shown.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the multi-lancet cartridge portion of FIG. 6,with the cartridge's bottom housing portion removed to reveal thelancets in place under the lancet carrier.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the multi-lancet cartridge of FIG. 7, showingportions of a lancet-alignment mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional detail view of a portion of the multi-lancetcartridge of FIG. 8 taken at line 9-9.

FIG. 10 shows the lancing device of FIG. 8, with the lancet-alignmentmechanism in operation.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the lancing device of FIG. 8, with the lancettip in its extended position.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a portion of the lancet-alignment mechanism ofthe lancing device of FIG. 8, showing a resilient arm in matingengagement with a recess of the lancet carrier to precisely align thecarrier, and thus a fresh active lancet, in the active position.

FIG. 13 shows the lancet-alignment mechanism portion of FIG. 12, withthe resilient arm deflected/retracted from the recess and sliding acrossthe advancing carrier as the now-used lancet is being advanced out of,and a next fresh lancet is being advanced into, the active position.

FIG. 14 shows the lancet-alignment mechanism portion of FIG. 13, withthe resilient arm biasing into mating engagement with the recess toprecisely align the next fresh lancet in the active position of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of example embodiments taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part ofthis disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is notlimited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parametersdescribed and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein isfor the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of exampleonly and is not intended to be unnecessarily limiting of the claimedinvention. Any and all patents and other publications identified in thisspecification are incorporated by reference as though fully set forthherein.

Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference toa particular numerical value includes at least that particular value,unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressedherein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to“about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a rangeis expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular valueand/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values areexpressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it willbe understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like referencenumbers represent corresponding parts throughout the several views,FIGS. 1-14 show a lancing device 10 according to an example embodimentof the present invention. The lancing device 10 is used with a cartridge50 holding a plurality of lancets 52 each having a body 54, a sharppuncturing tip 56, and a sterility cap 58.

It will be understood that the term “cartridge” as used herein includescarrousels, clips, and other types of dispensers of lancets or otheritems, whether they are replaceable cartridges used with re-useablelancing devices or whether they are integral to and disposable with thelancing devices after all the lancets have been used once, and whetherthe lancets or other items are rotationally advanced, linearly advanced,or otherwise configured in the cartridges. In addition, it will beunderstood that instead of a lancing device used with a cartridge oflancets, the herein-described assemblies and aspects of the inventioncan be embodied in other medical devices for using or dispensing otheritems, construction tools for using or dispensing fasteners or otheritems, firearms for using or dispensing ammunition or other items, fooddevices for using or dispensing candy or other food items, or otherdevices using cartridges holding other items that are advanced for useor dispensing. For example, the assemblies and aspects of the inventiondescribed herein can be adapted for use in medical devices that dispensesutures, needles, medicines, or surgical staples.

The components of the lancing device 10 and cartridge 50 can befabricated from conventional materials using conventional fabricationtechniques. Thus, these components can be made of plastics, metals, orother suitable materials known in the art, by molding, machining,stamping or other suitable processes known in the art.

The lancing device 10 of the depicted embodiment includes adepth-adjustment mechanism 12, an advancement mechanism 14, a lancetcap-displacement mechanism 16, a charging mechanism 18, and an actuationmechanism 20. The depth-adjustment mechanism 12 operates to provideadjustment for different puncturing depths of the lancet tip 56 into theuser's skin during a lancing stroke. The advancement mechanism 14operates to sequentially advance the lancets 52 to an active positionfor use. The cap-displacement mechanism 16 operates to remove thesterility caps 58 from the lancet tips 56 before the lancing stroke. Thecharging mechanism 18 operates to retract an active-positioned lancet 52and charge a drive spring. And the actuation mechanism 20 operates torelease the lancet from the charged position so that it can be propelledby the discharging drive spring through the lancing stroke. Details ofthe structure, manufacture, and operation of these mechanisms areincluded in the disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/892,324, filed Sep. 28, 2010, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein.

In various embodiments not expressly disclosed herein but includedwithin the scope of the present invention, the lancing device and/orcartridge can be provided with additional or alternative operationalmechanisms to perform the same or other basic functions required foradvancing lancets or other items, they can be provided without some ofthese mechanisms, or they can be provided with some combination of theseand/or other mechanisms. As such, included within the scope of thepresent invention are embodiments in which the cartridge, and the devicethe cartridge is used with, include operational mechanisms other thanthose expressly described herein.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the lancing device 10 includes a housing 22 andan operating handle 24. The housing 12 can include a top portion and abottom portion that can be at least partially separable (e.g., pivotallyin a clamshell arrangement) from a closed position to an open positionfor replacing the lancet cartridges. The operating handle 24 istranslationally mounted to the housing 22 so that it slides between aretracted position (see FIG. 1) and an extended position (see FIG. 2).The operating handle 24 includes a grip portion for a user to grasp topush and pull the handle between the retracted and extended positions.And the operating handle 24 and the housing 22 have cooperating stopsurfaces that abut each other to limit the translating travel of theoperating handle 24 between the retracted and extended positions.

Referring to FIGS. 4-5, the advancement mechanism 14 is housed withinthe lancing-device housing 22. In the depicted embodiment, theadvancement mechanism 14 includes an advancement gear assembly 28including an advancement handle gear 26 on the handle 24, one or moreintermediate gears driven by the advancement handle gear, and a piniongear 30 driven by one or more of the intermediate gears. As noted,additional details of the structure and operation of the advancementmechanism 14 are disclosed in the incorporated-by-reference application.

Referring to FIGS. 6-7, the cartridge 50 includes a housing 60 thatholds a plurality of the lancets 52, for example, in a radialarrangement on a carrier disk 62. The cartridge 50 includes a cartridgegear 64, for example on the carrier 62, that is engaged and rotationallydriven by the pinion output gear 30 of the advancement mechanism 14. Inthis way, when the advancement mechanism 14 is operated through a firstportion (e.g., half) of an operating cycle (e.g., by pulling theoperating handle 24 from the retracted to the extended position), thepinion output gear 30 is rotationally driven. The rotating pinion gear30 in turn rotationally drives the cartridge gear 64 a predeterminedindexed angular increment to advance the carrier 62. This in turnadvances a used one of the lancets 52 out of the active position andadvances a next fresh one of the lancets into the active position foruse. The advancement mechanism 14 thereby allows the carrier 62, andthus the lancets 52, to be advanced accurately so that there will be no,or only minimal, issues with misalignment and/or jamming caused by over-or under-advancement into the active position. In typical embodiments,the advancement mechanism 14 also includes an anti-reverse mechanismthat functions to prevent the carrier 62 from being reversed to returnthe used lancet back to the active position during a second portion(e.g., half) of the operating cycle (e.g., by pushing the operatinghandle 24 from the extended to the retracted position).

Even with a well-designed advancement mechanism 14, on occasion it canslightly over- or under-advance one of the lancets 52 into the activeposition. For example, the advancement mechanism 14 can be designed tosequentially advance the lancets 52 by 10 degrees, but on occasionover-advance one of the lancets by 0.7 degrees. To minimize jamming andother alignment problems during the rare occasions when the advancementmechanism 14 slightly over- or under-advances one of the lancets 52 intothe active position, an alignment mechanism is provided. The alignmentmechanism includes at least one register element and at least onespring-biased element that moves between a engaged position and aretracted position. In the engaged position, the spring-biased elementmatingly engages the register element to better align theactive-positioned lancet relative to the cartridge housing. Thespring-biased element can be designed so that, in this position, eitherit is in a relaxed/neutral state or it can still apply a positivebiasing force to the register element. And in the retracted position,the spring-biased element does not engage the register element as thelancets are being sequentially advanced into the active position. Assuch, the alignment mechanism is a mechanical override of theadvancement mechanism 14 that fine-tunes the alignment of the lancet 52in the active position relative to the cartridge housing.

Referring particularly to 8-14, there is shown an alignment mechanism 80according to an example embodiment of the present invention for use withthe lancing device 10 and cartridge 50 disclosed herein. In the depictedembodiment, there are a series of fixed female register elements in theform of recesses 82 defined by the carrier 62 and one spring-biased maleelement in the form of a protrusion 84 extending from a resilientcantilevered arm 86 defined by the cartridge housing 60.

The recesses 82 and the protrusion 84 have generally conforming femaleand male shapes, respectively, when viewed from the longitudinal axis ofthe lancing stroke path. Their shapes are selected so that theprotrusion 84 tends to bias into a precise mating engagement in precisealignment with the recess 82 being engaged when the resilientcantilevered arm 86 is in the engaged position. For example, therecesses 82 and the protrusion 84 can be generally wedge-shaped with twosymmetrical sides, as in the depicted embodiment. In alternativeembodiments, the recesses and the protrusion can have the shape (whenviewed along the longitudinal lancing stroke path) of a dome (e.g., asemi-circle), a non-symmetrical triangle/wedge, a cone, a pyramid, apolygon (or portion thereof), or another regular or irregular shape,whether linear, curved, or otherwise shaped. Preferably, the recesses 82each include an exit ramp surface 83 (e.g., linear, curved, or both)(see FIG. 13) across which a leading surface 85 of the protrusion 84 isdriven out of the recesses as the carrier 52 is advanced.

The protrusion 84 is spring-biased toward the engaged position where itsequentially engages each of the recesses 82 of the carrier 62 (as thecarrier is advanced by the advancement mechanism) to better align theactive-positioned lancet 52 (see FIG. 10), and is able to withdraw fromthere into the retracted position where it does not engage any of therecesses of the carrier as the lancets are being sequentially advanced(see FIGS. 8-9). The spring-biasing effect can be provided by theprotrusion 84 extending transversely from a resilient cantilevered arm86 that extends from the cartridge housing 60 axially with respect tothe lancing stroke path, as in the depicted embodiment. The resilientcantilevered arm 86 can be integrally formed as a part of the cartridgehousing 60 and have a generally triangular shape (when viewed from thetop), as in the depicted embodiment. In alternative embodiments, theprotrusion can be formed on a resilient cantilevered arm that is aseparate piece mounted to the cartridge housing and/or be non-axiallyarranged. And in other alternative embodiments, the protrusion can bespring-biased by another type of spring element such as a compressioncoil spring, a leaf spring, or another conventional spring element as isknown in the art.

In the depicted embodiment, the resilient cantilevered arm 86 is formedin the top wall of the cartridge housing 60 with the protrusion 84extending downward (inward to within the housing), and the recesses 82are formed in a top surface of the carrier 62 with each recess alignedwith and on the opposite surface of the carrier from a corresponding oneof the lancets 52. As each lancet 52 has a corresponding recess 82, thenumber of recesses included is the same as the number of lancets. Inalternative embodiments, the alignment elements (e.g., the recesses) arenot located so immediately adjacent their corresponding lancets andinstead are formed farther away from their corresponding lancets.

FIGS. 12-14 show the operation of the alignment mechanism 80 of thedepicted embodiment. In FIG. 12, the protrusion 84 of the resilient arm86 is fully inserted into the recess 82 of the carrier 62 to provideprecise alignment of the active-positioned lancet 52. Thus, theresilient arm 86 is now in the engaged position. In FIG. 13, the carrier62 is being advanced (i.e., rotated) by the advancement mechanism (asindicated by the leftward directional arrow). So the protrusion 84 ofthe resilient arm 86 has been deflected out of engagement with therecess 82 of the carrier 62 (as indicated by the upward directionalarrow) so that it rides across the carrier surface as a fresh lancet 52is being moved into the active position. Thus, the resilient arm 86 isnow in the retracted position. And in FIG. 14 (which corresponds to FIG.8), the carrier 62 has been slightly over-advanced, with theactive-positioned lancet 52 not in precise alignment for use. From here,the spring-biasing force of the resilient arm 86 drives the protrusion84 down (as indicated by the downward directional arrow) into the recess82, and the mating engagement of the recess by the protrusion causes thecarrier 62 to be reversed (as indicated by the rightward directionalarrow). In particular, the spring-biasing force of the resilient arm 86drives the protrusion 84 into the recess 82 until the protrusion againis in full mating engagement with the recess in the engaged position ofFIG. 10. As can be seen in FIG. 10, with the protrusion 84 in theengaged position, the position of the carrier 62 has been adjusted sothat the active-positioned lancet 52 is now aligned precisely in itsintended design position for use.

In the depicted embodiment, the carrier 62 is advanced through a rotarymotion to sequentially advance the radially arranged lancets 52 (forbegin propelled radially outward) through the rotary motion and into theactive position. As such, the recesses 82 (or other register elements)are arranged in a circular shape on the carrier 62. In alternativeembodiments, the lancets 52 are generally linearly arranged (e.g.,parallel in a longitudinal clip) and sequentially advanced through agenerally linear motion into the active position. As such, the recesses82 (or other register elements) are arranged in a linear arrangementwithin the cartridge 50 (e.g., on the carrier 62, if one is included inthe desired design). In such linear embodiments (and in some rotaryembodiments), the advancement mechanism can include rack-and-piniongearing and/or spring elements for sequentially advancing the lancets tothe active position.

In other alternative embodiments, the male/protrusion alignment elementand the female/recessed alignment element are reversed in a vice-versaarrangement. That is, the at least one spring-biased element includes afemale/recessed surface and the at least one register element isprovided by a plurality of male/protrusions. Additionally oralternatively, in some embodiments the at least one spring-biasedelement is defined by the carrier and the at least one register elementis provided by a series thereof defined by the cartridge housing. Andadditionally or alternatively, in some embodiments the at least onespring-biased element is provided by a series of resilient arms definedfor example by the carrier and the at least one register element isprovided by a plurality thereof defined by the cartridge or lancingdevice housing.

In yet other alternative embodiments, instead of at least one of thealignment elements being formed on the carrier, they are formed on thelancets, for example on the lancet bodies or the lancet caps. As thiscan lead to some frictional issues, the tolerances, spring-biasingforces, and materials for these elements can be selected to account forthe longitudinal frictional issues during the lancing stroke. And therecesses can be elongated so that the protrusion does not run into thelongitudinal end of the recess and impede the lancet during its lancingstroke.

In still other alternative embodiments, the cartridge does not include alancet carrier that moves relative to the cartridge housing, and insteadthe cartridge (and the lancets housed therein) moves relative to thelancing device housing. In such embodiments, the register andspring-biased elements are formed on the cartridge housing (e.g., on itsouter surface) and the lancing device housing (e.g., on its innersurface).

And in yet still other alternative embodiments, the alignment mechanismis designed so that it is activated when the actuator (e.g., a button orlever) of the actuation mechanism is activated (e.g., depressed). Thatis, the alignment elements are brought into mating engagement with eachother upon the active-positioned lancet being released to traverse itslancing stroke under the influence of the discharging drive spring. Insome such embodiments, the alignment mechanism is cam-operated with acam pushing one of the alignment elements into engagement with the otherone in a timed fashion. In these and related embodiments, the cam andrelated elements can be integrated into the advancement, charging,and/or actuation mechanism.

In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism mechanically controls theposition of the lancet carrier all the way through its advancement tosequentially advance fresh lancets in the active position. In suchembodiments, the alignment and/or advancement mechanism includes arelease mechanism that disengages the mechanical positioning of thelancets so that they are no longer positively controlled by theadvancement mechanism. In addition, persons of ordinary skill in the artwill readily recognize that the alignment mechanism can be implementedin cartridge-based lancing devices having numerous other types ofadvancement mechanisms.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexample embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

1. A cartridge-based device, comprising: a cartridge including aplurality of items to be used or dispensed for use; an advancementmechanism adapted to sequentially advance the items of the cartridge toan active position for use; and an alignment mechanism including atleast one register element and at least one spring-biased element thatmoves between an engaged position and a retracted position, wherein inthe engaged position the spring-biased element matingly engages theregister element to bias the active-positioned item into a more-precisealignment for use or dispensing, and wherein in the retracted positionthe spring-biased element does not engage the register element as theitems are being sequentially advanced into the active position by theadvancement mechanism.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at leastone register element is provided by a series of register elements andthe at least one spring-biased element is provided by a singlespring-biased element.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the registerelements are provided by either female or male elements and thespring-biased element includes the other of a male or female elementthat mates with the register elements.
 4. The device of claim 3, whereinthe female elements are generally wedge-shaped.
 5. The device of claim3, wherein the female elements each include a ramped exit surface acrosswhich the male element rides to bias the spring-biased element to theretracted position.
 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the spring-biasedelement includes a resilient cantilevered arm from which the maleelement extends.
 7. The device of claim 3, wherein the cartridgeincludes a carrier holding the items and a housing holding the items andthe carrier, the register elements are provided by female recessesdefined by the carrier, and the spring-biased element is provided by aresilient cantilevered arm that is defined by the cartridge housing andthat includes a male protrusion extending therefrom.
 8. The device ofclaim 7, wherein each one of the recesses is positioned adjacent acorresponding one of the items.
 9. The device of claim 7, wherein in theretracted position the cantilevered arm deflects away from the carrierand the protrusion rides across the carrier as the items aresequentially advanced into the active position, and wherein in theengaged position one of the items is in the active position and theprotrusion is received in one of the recesses corresponding to theactive-positioned item.
 10. The device of claim 7, wherein the carrieris generally disk-shaped, the items are radially arranged on the carrierand rotationally advanced into the active position, and the recesses arearranged on the carrier in a generally circular shape.
 11. Acartridge-based lancing device, comprising: a cartridge including ahousing, a carrier held by the housing, and a plurality of lancets heldby the carrier; an advancement mechanism adapted to sequentially advancethe lancets of the cartridge to an active position for use; and analignment mechanism including a series of register elements and aspring-biased element that moves between an engaged position and aretracted position, wherein the register elements and the spring-biasedelement have mating shapes, wherein the register elements are providedby either female or male elements and the spring-biased element includesthe other of a female or male element, wherein in the engaged positionthe spring-biased element matingly engages one of the register elementsto bias the active-positioned lancet into a more-precise alignment foruse, wherein in the retracted position the spring-biased element doesnot engage any of the register elements as the lancets are beingsequentially advanced into the active position by the advancementmechanism, and wherein the alignment mechanism mechanically overridesthe advancement mechanism to fine-tune the alignment of theactive-positioned lancet.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the femaleelements are generally wedge-shaped and each include a ramped exitsurface across which the male element rides to bias the spring-biasedelement to the retracted position.
 13. The device of claim 11, whereinthe spring-biased element includes a resilient cantilevered arm fromwhich the male or female element extends.
 14. The device of claim 11,wherein the register elements are provided by female recesses defined bythe carrier, the spring-biased element is provided by a resilientcantilevered arm that is defined by the cartridge housing and thatincludes a male protrusion extending therefrom, and in the retractedposition the cantilevered arm deflects away from the carrier and theprotrusion rides across the carrier as the lancets are sequentiallyadvanced into the active position, and wherein in the engaged positionone of the lancets is in the active position and the protrusion isreceived in one of the recesses corresponding to the active-positionedlancet.
 15. The device of claim 14, wherein each one of the recesses ispositioned adjacent a corresponding one of the lancets.
 16. The deviceof claim 11, wherein the carrier is generally disk-shaped, the lancetsare radially arranged on the carrier and rotationally advanced into theactive position, and the recesses are arranged on the carrier in agenerally circular shape.
 17. A multi-lancet cartridge for use with alancing device having an advancement mechanism, the multi-lancetcartridge comprising: a housing; a carrier held by the housing; aplurality of lancets held by the carrier and sequentially advanceable bythe advancement mechanism to an active position for use; and analignment mechanism including a series of register elements and aspring-biased element that moves between an engaged position and aretracted position, wherein the register elements and the spring-biasedelement have mating shapes, wherein the register elements are providedby either female or male elements and the spring-biased element includesthe other of a female or male element, wherein in the engaged positionthe spring-biased element matingly engages one of the register elementsto bias the active-positioned lancet into a more-precise alignment foruse, wherein in the retracted position the spring-biased element doesnot engage any of the register elements as the lancets are beingsequentially advanced into the active position by the advancementmechanism, and wherein the alignment mechanism mechanically overridesthe advancement mechanism to fine-tune the alignment of theactive-positioned lancet.
 18. The multi-lancet cartridge of claim 17,wherein the female elements are generally wedge-shaped and each includea ramped exit surface across which the male element rides to bias thespring-biased element to the retracted position.
 19. The multi-lancetcartridge of claim 17, wherein the spring-biased element includes aresilient cantilevered arm from which the male or female elementextends.
 20. The multi-lancet cartridge of claim 17, wherein theregister elements are provided by female recesses defined by thecarrier, the spring-biased element is provided by a resilientcantilevered arm that is defined by the cartridge housing and thatincludes a male protrusion extending therefrom, and in the retractedposition the cantilevered arm deflects away from the carrier and theprotrusion rides across the carrier as the lancets are sequentiallyadvanced into the active position, and wherein in the engaged positionone of the lancets is in the active position and the protrusion isreceived in one of the recesses corresponding to the active-positionedlancet.
 21. The multi-lancet cartridge of claim 20, wherein each one ofthe recesses is positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the lancets.22. The multi-lancet cartridge of claim 17, wherein the carrier isgenerally disk-shaped, the lancets are radially arranged on the carrierand rotationally advanced into the active position, and the recesses arearranged on the carrier in a generally circular shape.